Could 76ers’ sudden disinterest in Paul George point to Jimmy Butler trade?

On Thursday, intel from The Athletic's Shams Charania alluded to the Philadelphia 76ers removing themselves from the Paul George sweepstakes before they began.

The 76ers have a projected amount of $55.5 million in cap space this offseason and can create up to $65 million if they please. Many anticipate Philly using their financial resources to be aggressive in free agency, Charania included. Recent buzz suggests they are searching for a third star to pair with their dynamic duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. So, it was peculiar to see the front office seemingly already have their mind made up on George, arguably the top player available -- albeit noteworthy.

What do the Sixers know? Do they have another option lurking in the shadows? Not even 24 hours later, signs point toward the latter being the case, especially in the aftermath of recent buzz surrounding Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler.

Could the 76ers’ sudden disinterest in Paul George point to a Jimmy Butler trade?

Howard Beck of The Ringer thinks Butler "will be traded" this summer, naming him "the biggest star to change teams."

Butler, 34, is entering the final year of his current deal with Miami and seeking a massive two-year, $113 million contract extension. As Beck points out, the Heat paying him that much would put the franchise in a grueling position to "add another star." However, the NBA insider feels "they absolutely need one," so he forecasts the six-time All-Star being on the move.

Does Heat president Pat Riley believe in this version of the team enough to make that investment in Butler? If not, that is where the Sixers come into play.

During the 2018-19 campaign, The Minnesota Timberwolves traded a disgruntled Butler to Philadelphia. That year, the Sixers were one historic Kawhi Leonard buzzer-beater away from their first Eastern Conference Finals trip of the Embiid era. Since then, the two-way wing has maintained a well-documented and good relationship with Embiid, leading people to believe a reunion could be on the precipice. Now, the George element of the situation will only further ignite any speculation.

Whether Philly's sudden disinterest in George correlates with Butler and his contractual status remains unclear. Nonetheless, it doesn't feel like a coincidence that the reports about the former surfaced on the eve of Beck predicting the latter would get traded.